Condoms – Then and
Now
Having safe sex to prevent unwanted pregnancy and the spread
of sexually transmitted diseases is certainly not a recent practice. Condoms
date far back before the Common Era, though perhaps the most notable one was
the 1640 model. The first condoms were made from the intestine of either a pig
or a sheep, and were intended for multiple usage. Between each wearing, the
users were instructed to submerge the condom in warm milk in order to clean it
of potential diseases it may have come in contact with. Because they weren’t
made from an especially tight or elastic material, the first condoms included a
small tie at the base to keep from slipping off during intercourse.
Of course, when this invention we can now buy cheaply in
boxes at any convenience store first came to be, it was far more expensive.
Only men from the upper class were able to afford them. Since they were able to
be used multiple times, they were somewhat worth the investment. However, they
weren’t as effective as later models.
A later release of condoms finally introduced the use of
thick rubber (where we get the term “rubber” for these contraceptives) which
was more effective at preventing pregnancy and disease than the animal
intestine-based ones.
These condoms, though better at preventing pregnancy and
sexually transmitted disease due to their thickness, came with their own set of
drawbacks. They were considerably smaller, covering only the tip of the penis,
and were so thick that they were uncomfortable for the wearer, offering little
to no sensation during intercourse.
The condoms we know today are typically made from latex,
which were first introduced in 1912. There are alternatives, for those with latex
allergies, made of polyurethane. Newer versions of the animal-based condoms are
available as well, though aren’t as effective when it comes to preventing
sexually transmitted diseases. What we have now also varies in size and density
(both in extra thick and extra thin. Thinner gives better sensation, though it
is more likely to break.) Today’s condoms even come in a variety of flavors for
oral sex and colors for, well, aesthetics. Many come pre-lubricated, for both
comfort and sometimes extra preventative measure (for example, the lube may
contain a spermicide to kill off sperm in case of a tear in the condom.) Latex
condoms are much cheaper than condoms of the past, offering more people the
opportunity to practice safe sex. This, of all the changes condoms have taken
through the years, is one of the most important of all, because if one doesn’t
have the money for contraception, they certainly don’t have the money to raise
a child or treat a contracted disease.
“Sexual Health, Birth Control, and Condoms,” WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-condoms
(Accessed 27, Feb. 2014).
Crystal Moore, lecture for “Within the Family,” University
of North Carolina at Charlotte, 18 Feb. 2014.
Mark Cichocki R.N., “The History of Condoms,” About.com, http://aids.about.com/od/condominformation/qt/condomhistory.htm
(Accessed 28, Feb. 2014).
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